"Tir na-Og," the land of eternal youth, lying far out in the ocean, is a part of Irish mythology since the day the ancient legends were told for the first time. Judging from the numbers, the Irish as a people seem to have found this land on the North American continent. Between 1800 and 1920, the time frame for this paper, almost five million people left Ireland for the United States alone, while the 1871 Canadian census shows that about one quarter of all Canadians were of Irish ethnicity.
Looking at the literature covering that particular period of time, it becomes clear that there are two ideas about the Irish in North America in circulation. The first one is that most Irish immigrants were Catholics, who had to leave Ireland because they were suppressed by an English, that is, Protestant government, and later on because of the Great Famine. They were poor, uneducated, and unskilled and had a tendency to drinking and violence. Once in North America, they went mostly to the United States, where they were a suppressed minority. They settled in the cities, where they lived in Irish "ghettos" and found jobs mostly as unskilled or semiskilled labourers. This idea is argued in history books that were published between the late 1930s and mid-1980s, and their authors are mostly American. Two names appear regularly: Lawrence McCaffrey and Patrick Blessing.
The other idea about the Irish in North America goes like this: In most cases they left their island out of economic hardship, were either farmers or belonged to the working or lower middle class. The religious affiliation of the first to come was Protestant, they went to Canada, where they blended in with the rest of society. Later on, the Irish immigrants were mostly Catholics who went to the United States, where they partly made the ghetto-experience. Historians suggesting this approach to the Irish immigrants published from the early 1980s to the end of the 1990s, and are for the most part Canadian. And here also two names appear regularly: Mark McGowan and Donald Akenson.
[...]
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Irish Catholics in American Historiography
- The Irish Catholics in Canadian Historiography
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper compares two contrasting historical interpretations of the Irish immigrant experience in North America (1800-1920), one prevalent in American and the other in Canadian historiography. It examines how these differing perspectives address the pre-emigration situation in Ireland, the push and pull factors for emigration, the role of religion, settlement patterns (rural vs. urban), the Church's influence on acculturation, and inter-group relations between Catholics and Protestants.
- Contrasting American and Canadian historical interpretations of Irish immigration.
- Analysis of push and pull factors influencing Irish emigration.
- The role of religion (Catholicism) in shaping the immigrant experience.
- Settlement patterns and the creation of Irish communities in North America.
- The impact of the Irish immigrant experience on the social and political landscape of the United States and Canada.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the paper by introducing the two dominant, yet contrasting, narratives surrounding the Irish immigrant experience in North America between 1800 and 1920. It highlights the significant numbers of Irish who emigrated to both the United States and Canada during this period, and it establishes the central question of the paper: how do American and Canadian historical accounts differ in their portrayal of this migration? The chapter introduces the key historians and their respective perspectives that will be analyzed throughout the paper, setting the foundation for the comparative analysis to follow.
The Irish Catholics in American Historiography: This chapter delves into the American historical perspective on Irish Catholic immigration, primarily focusing on the narrative that frames the Great Famine as the watershed moment. American historians emphasize the role of religious persecution under British rule and the subsequent economic hardship as primary push factors. The chapter details the perspectives of historians like Patrick Blessing and Lawrence McCaffrey, who highlight the poverty, lack of skills, and concentration of Irish immigrants in urban "ghettos." It explores the challenges faced by these immigrants, including prejudice and discrimination, and analyzes the limited social mobility experienced by many. The chapter also notes the tendency in American historiography to equate "Irish" with "Catholic," overlooking the experiences of Protestant Irish immigrants. The chapter thoroughly analyzes the prevailing themes of hardship, prejudice, and limited social mobility within the American historical context.
Keywords
Irish immigration, North American immigration, American historiography, Canadian historiography, Irish Catholics, Great Famine, religious persecution, economic hardship, urban settlement, social mobility, acculturation, inter-group relations, push and pull factors.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comparative Study of Irish Immigration to North America (1800-1920)
What is the main focus of this paper?
This paper compares and contrasts the historical interpretations of Irish immigration to North America (1800-1920) as presented in American and Canadian historiography. It examines how these different perspectives address various aspects of the immigrant experience, including pre-emigration conditions in Ireland, reasons for emigration, the role of religion, settlement patterns, the Church's influence, and relations between Catholic and Protestant groups.
What are the key themes explored in this paper?
Key themes include contrasting American and Canadian historical interpretations of Irish immigration; analysis of push and pull factors driving emigration; the role of Catholicism in shaping the immigrant experience; settlement patterns and the formation of Irish communities; and the impact of Irish immigration on the social and political landscapes of the United States and Canada.
Which historical periods and geographical locations are covered?
The paper focuses on Irish immigration to the United States and Canada between 1800 and 1920.
What are the main differences between American and Canadian historical interpretations of Irish immigration?
The paper highlights the contrasting narratives found in American and Canadian historiography. While specifics aren't detailed in the preview, it suggests these differences relate to the emphasis placed on various factors influencing the immigrant experience (e.g., the Great Famine's role, religious persecution, settlement patterns, and social mobility).
What aspects of the Irish immigrant experience are analyzed?
The analysis includes the pre-emigration situation in Ireland, push and pull factors for emigration, the significant role of religion (Catholicism), settlement patterns (rural vs. urban), the Church's influence on acculturation, and inter-group relations between Catholics and Protestants.
What is the structure of the paper?
The paper includes an introduction, chapters dedicated to American and Canadian historiographical perspectives on Irish Catholic immigration, and a conclusion. The provided preview also includes chapter summaries.
Which historians are mentioned or referenced?
The preview mentions historians Patrick Blessing and Lawrence McCaffrey in relation to the American historical perspective. Other historians are likely discussed in the full text.
What are the key takeaways from the chapter summaries?
The introduction sets the stage by highlighting contrasting narratives. The chapter on American historiography focuses on the Great Famine's role and emphasizes hardship, prejudice, and limited social mobility. Further details on the Canadian perspective are not provided in the preview.
What are the keywords associated with this paper?
Keywords include: Irish immigration, North American immigration, American historiography, Canadian historiography, Irish Catholics, Great Famine, religious persecution, economic hardship, urban settlement, social mobility, acculturation, inter-group relations, push and pull factors.
- Quote paper
- Jana Berger (Author), 2001, Irish Catholics in Canadian and American Historiography, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/6615
